Mabinogi, often hailed as the quintessential 'salmon game' of the domestic online scene, has finally earned a ranking worthy of its reputation. Entering the charts at 36th, the title has officially joined this year’s competitive fray just as the second half begins. The most significant surge is visible in PC bang usage, clearly buoyed by the summer update that launched on July 9th, which aimed squarely at bringing back 'newbies'.

The heart of this update is the 'Dungeon Revamp'. The developer has scrapped the requirement to use 'Naer' to enter dungeons—a system introduced last summer—and reverted to the classic method of purchasing entry passes. It seems the developer finally acknowledged the feedback from newer players, who often found their coffers lacking and felt the 'Naer' system was a punishing barrier to entry. Furthermore, the cost for gear inheritance between identical items has been removed, allowing players to utilise high-tier loot immediately upon acquisition.

However, the prevailing sentiment is that while ditching 'Naer' was the right move, the 'value for money' in dungeon gameplay remains lacklustre, making it difficult for newcomers to find their footing. Specifically, criticism points to the Tech Duinn dungeon, where both normal and hard modes lack adequate rewards. Critics argue that if the goal was to entice new players by removing 'Naer', the developer should have simultaneously recalibrated the dungeon rewards to match, a missed opportunity that leaves a bitter taste.

Mabinogi dropped off the charts last December and has only just returned to the starting line as the second half of the year kicks off. With the Unreal Engine 5 'Eternity' project private test looming this autumn, the developer must ensure this summer update isn't just a flash in the pan if they hope to maintain momentum for the upcoming transition.

Palworld, which shocked everyone by peaking at 4th in the Gamemeca popularity rankings during its early access phase, has caught a massive updraft this week. Bolstered by its official launch on July 10th, the game rocketed up 33 spots to land at 15th. It is a rare case of a Steam-based overseas title enjoying such sustained domestic popularity. Even during the massive 'Sakurajima' update last January, the game showed a remarkable reversal, and it has consistently held its own within the top 50 throughout the first half of this year.

To mark the official launch, the developer expanded the level cap and added substantial end-game content, including exploration of the World Tree. It is a package designed to tempt back those who drifted away during early access. The patch notes were so exhaustive they couldn't even fit on the official Steam page, a detail that became a talking point in itself. Given the high level of user satisfaction, this upward trend looks set to stay for the long haul.

In the mid-tier, Eternal Return climbed four spots to 17th. A look at the key metrics reveals a notable spike in portal search volume, largely driven by the 3rd-anniversary offline event held at the Daejeon Convention Center from the 11th to the 12th. The 'Lumia Night Market', a section dedicated to user-made merchandise, proved to be a stroke of genius, effectively leveraging the community's vibrant passion for fan-made content.

At the lower end, Yulgang: Next entered the fray at 46th. This PC/mobile MMORPG is being developed by Kingnet, a Chinese studio with a track record of handling domestic IPs like The Legend of Mir and MU Online. Pre-registration opened on June 29th, and the game amped up interest on the 9th with a promo video featuring actor Yoo Hae-jin and director Jang Hang-jun. While it may not reach the heights of its heyday, the question remains whether it can carve out a niche in the hyper-competitive MMORPG market where revenue is king.